Cooling unit for refrigerators



i April 28, 1931.

F. G. SLAGEL COOLING UNIT FOR REFRIGERATORS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Nov. 8, 1928 April 28, 1931. F. G. SLAGEL COOLING UNIT FOR REFRIGERATORS Filed Nov. 8, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Apr. 28, 1931- UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE FRANKLIN a. smear, or Burr-Am, NEW "zonx, AssIeNoa T FEDDERS macros ING comm, mo, or BUFFALO, NEW YORK, A conrona'rron or new YORK (XDOLHG- UNIT F63 REFRIGERATOR Application filed November 8, 1928. Serial No. 317,936.

This invention relates to a cooling'unit which is more particularly designed for use which depend from the vaporizing chamber so that the same will permit of a more rapid descent of liquid and ascent of gas or vapor for a given capacity, also to simplify the construction and reduce the cost of manufacture, also to so form the tubes that a greater contact is'obtained between the same and the wall of the cooling chamber and thereby increase the heat exchange between the same, and also to permit of uniformity in the shape of the tubes so that the handling of a variety of forms is eliminated, and the manufacture facilitated.

Further objects of this invention are to improve the means of assembling the parts of the cooling chamber, and the means for supporting the same on the cooling tubes.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a cooling un it, embodying my improvements.

Figure 2 is a front elevation of the same,

' partly broken away.

Figure 3 is an elevation of a detached cooling tube.

Figure 4 is a horizontal section, line 44, Fig. 3.

Figure 5 is a perspective view of one of the brackets for supporting the cooling chamber on the cooling tubes. I

Figure 6 is a vertical longitudinal section, taken on line 66, Fig. 2.

Figure 7 is a vertical taken on line 7;-7, Fig. 6.

taken on transverse section,

Figure 8 is a fragmentary rear elevation of the cooling unit.

Figure 9'is a fragmentary vertical longitudinal section, taken oh line 9-9, Fig. 2.

Figure 10 is a fragmentary section, 'taken on line 1010, Fig. 8.

Figure 11 is a perspective view of the bracket for connecting the frontcover of the cooling chamber with one of the cooling trays.

In the following description similar characters of reference indicatelike parts in the several figures of the drawings:

The numeral 20 represents the vaporizing chamber of the cooling unit which may be of an suitable construction but which in the present case, by way of example, has the form ofa horizontal cylinder, the front end of which is provided with an upper inlet 21 for the liquid refrigerant, such as sulphur dioxide or methyl chloride and a lower outlet 22 for the vapor or gas which is generated by the heating of this refrigerant.

Below the vaporizing chamber is arranged the cooling chamber 23 which is adapted to contain the food or other material which is to be preserved by maintaining the same at a low temperature.

In its preferred construction the cooling chamber is provided with a longitudinal horizontal tubular body 24 which has an inlet at its front end which can be opened and closed by a vertical cover 25, while its rear end is permanently closed by a head 26, said body, cover and head being preferably constructed of sheet metal.

Although this head may be connected with the body in various ways this is preferably accomplished by engaging the edge portion of this head with the rear end of the tubular I body, as shown in Fig. 6, and providing this edge portion of the head with a plurality of inward depressions 261 forming outwardly facing locking seats which are/engaged by lips 27 bent inwardly from the rear edge of the body against said seats, thereby locking the chamber body and head together without soldering, brazing, welding or other method which involves greater cost.

Within the cooling chamber is arranged one or more trays, pans or drawers, which are adapted to receive the material to be refrigerated, two of such trays being shown in the present instance one above the other, the lower one 28 adapted to rest on the bottom of the chamber body .and the upper one 29 resting on a shelf 30'which is supported at its longitudinal edges on flanges 31 formed on the inner side of the cooling chamber body.

The cover of the cooling chamber is preferably mounted on one of the trays in the chamher so. that upon opening or closing the cover the respective tray will be moved out of or into the chamber. For this purpose the covor is preferably connected with the lower tra and this is accomplished by a bracket of -shape having a plate shaped cross piece 32 secured to the rear side of the chamber 'cover by bolts 33, as shown, or otherwise,

and two longitudinal plate shaped side pieces 34 'secured to the front parts of the opposite longitudinal sides of the lower tray by electric spot welding, or otherwise, whereby this tray and the cover are reliably connected and the tray is moved into and out of the chamber upon manipulating the handle 35 on the outer side of the cover.

As shown in the drawings the cross piece of the bracket connecting the cover and lower tray is wider than the side pieces of the same and these side pieces have enlarged front ends, as shown at 36 so as to reliably connect the cover throughout its height with the side pieces and increase the strength of the same.

Extending downwardly from the lower part of the vaporizing chamber and arranged in the form of two longitudinal rows on opposite sides of the cooling chamber are upright tubes or legs 37 forming part of the means for vaporizing the liquid refrigerant and also part ofthe means for supporting the cooling chamber. In the drawings three tubes are shown on each side of the cooling chamber but this number may be increased or decreased to suit the size orcapacity of the cooling unit. I

Each of these tubes is preferably constructed, in accordance with this invention, from a cylindrical piece of metal tubing so as to form an inlet 38 at'its upper end and a closure or head 39 at its lower end. This tube is'bent, formed or pressed so that its upper end portion 40 is of round or cylindrical shape and inclined-inwardly relative to the lower part thereof, which lower part is formed or pressed so. that the lower extremity 41 of the same is of round or cylindrical form and the intermediate part of the tube 41, 40'0f the same is flattened or compressed so as to produce in cross section of the tube V a flat inner surface42 on this tube and a convex outer face 44 thereon, an upper downwardly facing shoulder 45 on the inner side of the tube between the compressed intermediate part and the upper round end thereof, and an upwardly facing shoulder 46 on the inner side of the tube between the compressed intermediate part and the lower round end of the same.

In assembling the parts of the cooling unit the roundupper end of the same is secured in an opening 47 in the lower part of the vaporizing chamber on one side of its vertical longitudinal center and its inner fiat surface erating purposes thereby 42 is engaged with the adjacent upright wall 48 of the cooling chamber body and the upper and lower shoulders 45, 46 of this tube are engaged with the respective upper and lower longitudinal corners 48, 49 of the body, as shown in Figs. 1, 2, 4, 7 and 8.

For the purpose of securely connecting these tubes and cooling chamber body in full engagement their cooperating surfaces are connected at suitable points by soldering or welding and thus insure good'heat transference. .Due to the formation of a fiat surface on the tube for cooperation with thecooling chamber wall a very large area of contact is obtained between the tube and said wall instead of a mere line contact as would be the case if the tube were round in cross section. It follows from this increased area of contact between the cooling chamber wall and the tubes that a much greater and more rapid transference of heat takes place thereby increasing the efficiency of the cooling unit accordingly.

Moreover, this form of tube canvbe made at low cost without any expensive bending such as occurs when providing tubes with loops and it also permits of using larger tubes to advantage whereby the liquid refrigerant can pass freely downwardly from the vaporizing chamber (into the tubes and generated Vapors are free to pass from the tubes into the vaporizing chamber without any sudden bursts of movement or geyser action as commonly occurs when using tubing of small diameter for circulating the refrigmedium from the vaporizing chamber around the ,cooling chamber.

Inasmuch as the vaporizing tubes are all of the same form only one kind need be kept in stock for manufacturing or replacement materially simplifying the assemblage of the parts and reducing the cost of the product.

By employing tubes which require only one connection with the vaporizing chamber the number of joints is reduced and less soldering is therefore required for this purpose.

The use of tubes which are not doubled or folded also permits of making the unitmore compact and therefore particularly desirable where only a limited or small space is available for the reception of thecooling unit.

For the purpose of strengthening the cooling unit and additionally supporting the cooling chamber the lower ends of the vaporizing tubes in one row are connected with the lower ends of the vaporizing tubes in the row on the opposite side of the cooling chamber so that the respective companion tubes are coupled in pairs and are connected with the under side of the cooling chamber so as to support the same.

In the preferred form each of these suptransverse sheet metal beam which is of channel form in cross section and comprises a horizontal web 49 engaging with the under side of the cooling chamber body and connected therewith by solder and two flanges 50, depending from opposite longitudinal edges of the web and provided at opposite ends with extensions 51 form pairs of lugs or ears, beyond the opposite ends of the web, each pair of lugs embracing opposite sides of the lower round part of one of the vaporizing tubes and secured thereto by soldering or otherwise.

If desired, he opposite ends of the web of each beam may rest on the lower shoulders of the vaporizing tubes, as shown in Fig. 7, and be soldered thereto, thereby uniting the tubes," beams and cooling chamber so as to produce a very strong and durable structure which is not liable to get out of order while being installed and during subsequent use in a refrigerator.

I claim as my invention:

1. A cooling unit comprising a cooling chamber, cooling tubes arranged on opposite cooling chamber and engaging with the under side of said cooling chamber.

5. A cooling unit including a vaporizing I chamber, a cooling chamber arranged below the vaporizing chamber, a plurality of cooling tubes contacting with opposite sides of the cooling chamber and. communicating at their upper ends with said vaporizing chamber, and brackets each having an upper horizontal web engaging the under side of the cooling chamber and two vertical flan es depending from opposite longitudinal e ges of said web and extending beyond the opposite ends of the web and forming lugs secured to opposite sides of the lower ends of the corresponding tubes on opposite sides of the cooling chamber.

In testimony whereof I hereby aflix my signature.

FRANKLIN G. SLAGEL.

sides of said. chamber and having flattened parts engaging the walls of the same and round parts arranged below the cooling chamber and forming an. upwardly facing shoulder, and a bracket having a channel shaped central part the webof which engagesthe underside of the chamber and the shoulders of said tubes and the flanges of which depend from said web and have ends projecting beyond the web and engaging with opposite sides of said tubes.

2. A cooling unit comprising a cooling chamber, vertical cooling tubes arranged on opposite sides of the chamber, and a channel shaped bracket arranged below the chamber and having its flanges projecting beyond the web thereof and engaging with opposite sides of the tubes.

A cooling unit including a vaporizing chamber, a cooling chamber, and a plurality of cooling tubes each having an intermediate part which has a flat 'inner side contacting with the wall of said cooling chamber and a convex outer side, a rounded upper end opening into said. vaporizing chamber and forming a shoulder engaging with the vupper side of said coolingf'chamber, and a rounded lower end forming a shoulder engaging with the under side of said cooling chamber.

4. A cooling unit including a vaporizing chamber, a cooling chamber, a plurality of cooling tubes each having an intermediate part which has a flat inner side contacting with the wall of said cooling chamber and a convex outer side, a rounded upper end opening into said vaporizing chamber and forming a shoulder engaging with the upper side of said cooling chamber, and a rounded lower end forming a shoulder engaging with the under side of said cooling chamber, and :1 bracket connecting the lower ends of cor- 

